Former Prime Minister Vlad Filat, who headed the Liberal Democratic Party, said Sergey Yaralov, who is close to the ex-leader of the Democratic Party of Moldova Vlad Plahotniuc, designed the bank fraud, while Ilan Shor was the main beneficiary of this, followed by Vlad Plahotnic, IPN reports.

In an interview broadcast in the talk show “Black Box” produced by TV8 channel on July 14, Vlad Filat said Sergey Yaralov took part in all the discussions centering on the bank fraud. “I think he was the brains behind this incredible scheme who coordinated its implementation,” he noted.

The former Premier said the entire puzzle concerning the banking fraud was known by Vlad Plahotniuc, Sergey Iaralov and Ilan Shor, with the latter being the main beneficiary of the theft. “I believe the largest part of the money went to Ilan Shor. The other beneficiaries are those who were paid to keep silent, not to act and to drop cases,” stated Vlad Filat.

He ruled out the possibility of the bank fraud being committed with foreign involvement. “The US$ 1 billion theft was a well-thought-out diabolic machinery implemented by ours”.

The ex-Premier also said that the Russian Laundromat was a separate action aimed at robbing Banca de Economii, Banca Sociala and Unibank.

Vlad Filar noted his involvement in the bank fraud was political and cannot be classed as criminal. “I didn’t do what I ought to for these things not to happen. A lot was to be done then,” he stated, adding he knew things went badly, but didn’t act to prevent the endangering of Moldova’s European course. “I now understand that it would have beneficial for the Republic of Moldova to sign the Association Agreement later and to also benefit from the visa-free regime later and we needed clarification then.”

The interview was conducted in Penitentiary No. 13 where the former Prime Minister is serving his nine-year sentence for passive corruption and influence peddling. He is also investigated in another case for considerable money laundering. Vlad Filat pleads not guilty, saying his case is political in character.